With Just One Blink of an Eye
by LittleKenner
Summary: Latika's side of Slumdog millionaire.
1. Feelings

A/N: Slumdog Millionaire does not belong to me. It was such an amazing movie, I wondered what all Latika went through, so I made my own story of her trials and tribulations, and of course her love for Jamal. Hope you guys enjoy it!

* * *

I ran through the narrow passages of our slum, crying hysterically. Why were these people doing this to us? What did we ever do to them? I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that these men were doing these terrible things. I found a little corner, and stood there, watching in terror.

"Latika! Latika," I heard my mother cry. I looked down the alleyway and saw my mother, holding out her hand. I began walking towards her, and then stopped.

"Latika, come on! We don't have time for your games!"

I pointed behind her, trying to tell her about the man approaching with a mallet. Nothing came out, though. Not even the tiniest whimper.

"Mama," I cried out, pointing to the man behind her. I shut my eyes, and covered my ears, but I could still hear the whack of the mallet hitting her head. I screamed and opened my eyes, and I watched her body fall to the ground, blood pouring from her head.

The man walked slowly towards me, with an evil look in his dark, cold brown eyes. I took off, looking for a safe place to hide. Screams filled the air of our normally peaceful slum. Houses were being set on fire, smoke began filling the air, and men chased after whomever they saw. Men, women, children. It didn't matter to these men.

I found a tiny spot of my own, scared out of my wits. Two little boys passed by me, terror radiating from their bodies. The second one paused, and did a double take. I looked into his eyes, and felt something pull me towards him. Like, some imaginary string kept tugging at me to go his way. I took a step forward, and saw something light up in his warm brown eyes.

"Come with us," the younger yelled, waving his hand. I looked around nervously, scared to move.

"It's okay," he said, taking a step towards me. "We'll make it out of here. I promise."

I nodded and ran behind them, leaving the chaotic slum behind. I stopped when we reached the street, and looked back. Screams could still be heard, the sound of fire crackling filled the air. I looked down, tears in my eyes. How could this have happened? What had we done to deserve this? Why weren't the police doing anything?

I felt a hand on my shoulder. "It'll be ok. Don't worry," I heard the little boy whisper into my ear.

"Jamal-leave her! Come, let's go," what I assumed was his brother yelled.

The little boy squeezed my shoulder gently, sending chills up my spine. "Good-bye," he whispered into my ear before he turned, and joined his brother.

I turned, and stared at the two figures, watching them walk away from me, just like everybody else. Silently, I trailed behind them, wanting to be accepted. My mother was all I had had left in this world and now that she was gone, I was all alone. My mind went crazy, thinking of how the three of us could be the three musketeers, and travel across India. We could have the most amazing adventures, and never loose anybody else. Maybe, even possibly, we could be a little family.

_BOOM! _

I looked up, cursing the rainy season._ Oh great,_ I thought. _A storm._

Water poured down from the sky, drenching the two little boys and myself. The water stung my skin, as the wind made it colder. I watched in envy as the little boys found a covered place.

"Eh-go away!" The older one cried over the storm. "We don't want you here!"

I stood, hurt by his words. I kicked some pebbles, waiting to be allowed in. The rain pounded down harder, feeling like little bees stinging me over all over my body.

"Hey, come here!" I heard a few minutes later.

I looked up, surprised. "Come on! Come here," the little boy called from the dry area.

I ran over, appreciating his kindness. I sunk down against the wall, sleepiness finally washing over my body. My eyelids felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, and it drained the rest of my energy to keep them open.

"I'm Jamal," he whispered. "What's your name?"

I looked at him, feeling something stir deep within my body. Something I had never felt before. It wasn't a bad feeling. Rather pleasant, actually. I shook my head, dismissing it. Feelings meant nothing to a slumdog. Your life depended on your cleverness and tricks.

"I'm Latika," I whispered back. I looked at the ground, feeling the same thing swirl within my stomach for the third time. "Thank you," I said, a bit louder.

"No problem," I heard him whisper. I slowly lowered my upper body to the ground, and closed my eyes. "Sweet dreams, Latika," I heard his faint whisper.

"Mama!" I yelled. "Mama! Mama! Mama! Come back, Mama," I yelled, watching the man hit her over and over again in my mind. Each time was worse than the last. More blood spilled out. The mallet became bigger. The man was scarier.

I felt the man's eyes scan my body. I watched his black hair blow in the wind; watched him step over my mother's body, creeping towards me.

"Latika! Latika, wake up!" I felt somebody shaking me.

I opened my eyes to find Jamal standing over me, with a hand on my shoulder.

"It was just a dream. It was only a dream."

I nodded, not wanting to argue. He moved his arm, about to move back. "No," I whispered. "Please stay."

He nodded, sending some water flying from his jet-black hair. I smiled and moved over, making room for him. Jamal scooted behind me, and put his hand on my hand.

"I promise everything will be alright. I promise,' he whispered.

He squeezed my hand, sending electric shocks through my hand, up my arm, through my chest, and finally into my stomach, fueling that feeling again. I smiled, liking this sensation. _I could get used to this,_ I thought. I like how my hand fit into his. Like they were puzzle pieces, and they were meant to fit together like that.

"Does this promise last for forever," I questioned him, just wanting to talk to him.

"Of course it does. My promises last a lifetime."

With that, I fell asleep, no dreams of my mother, or that man. No, my dreams were of Jamal. My dreams showed us together, forever, living in a house, with a family. Two little boys and a little girl. Most importantly, though, we were happy.


	2. The Yellow Dress

"Jamal. Jamal," I whispered the next morning, shaking the little one gently. "It's time to wake up," I said a bit louder.

"Here, let me do it," his brother said, pushing me aside. "JAMAL! WAKE UP!" The elder shoved his brother, pushing him on his back. "It's time to go," he said when he saw Jamal open his eyes.

The littlest one sat up, and rubbed his eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can find food, hopefully. I'm starving," I said, rubbing my belly.

Jamal's brother looked at me. "What are you doing here," he asked with distaste. He guided his eyes over my body, examining to see if I was a threat, or if I would slow them down. "I thought I told you not to come with us."

I nodded. "I promise I won't be a snail, and I won't attract trouble. I could be your watch guard, if need be," I begged, wanting t be part of a family. Even if it was a family of scattered people, who were thrust together through hardship. It was better than nothing.

The boy nodded. "Fine. You can stay. Come on, Jamal." He grabbed his brother's hand and pulled out into the sunlight. You would never have guessed that it rained just last night.

Jamal let go of his brother's hand, and walked with me. "That's Salim. He thinks he's the king of the world," he whispered, bumping his arm into mine. I giggled loudly, and covered my mouth.

"Eh-what are you laughing about?" Salim yelled over his shoulder, never detouring from his mission.

"Where are we going," Jamal asked again.

"We're going to the market. Maybe we can get some food." He turned and faced us.

We walked for a long time, wandering into the market. Women took pity on us, and gave us an orange, or a small banana. The farmers pushed us away from their carts, yelling about how we would infect their food, and make people sick if they ate it. Little children talked to us, and treated us like family.

Eventually we left, seeking shelter for the night. We left, stomachs half empty, hearts half full. Salim walked ahead, searching for a place to sleep. Jamal and I followed him, not really caring where we went. It was already late afternoon, and night was quickly approching.

"Come on, slow pokes! We still have to find a place to sleep!"

Jamal and I looked at each other, shook our heads, and took off running. My white camisole flew in the wind as I raced Jamal. "Hey-wait up!" Salim screamed as we passed him.

We giggled and ran faster. None of us knew where we were going, we just ran, Running kind of made it easier. It made me forget that I didn't have a mother, or a home. I was just racing a friend, just like in the slum.

Panting, I stopped, unable to run anymore. "Hey! Jamal! Salim! Where are we?"

The brothers stopped running and turned to look at me. I pointed to the unfamiliar houses. "Where are we?" My question hung in the air, like a bad fart that nobody wanted to address. We stood motionless, trying to catch our breath. I looked around. The houses were high, built of brick and concrete. There were tall fences, built of wood, and they had lines across the lawn, draped with clothes.

"Hey!"

We turned and saw a cop. "What are you doing here?"

I turned and ran to the brothers. "Let's go!"

I ran as fast as my legs could take me. I couldn't get captured. Not when I finally belonged to a family. My feet pounded into the ground, sending dirt flying. Breathing hard, I looked around for Jamal. "JAMAL!" I screamed, fear pulsing through me. I stopped, not wanting to continue without him.

Suddenly, he was right there beside me, breathing hard. "I found something for you," He giggled, holding up something yellow. He smiled warmly at me. "I hope you like it." He took my hand and began running. Tingles shot up my arm, giving me that warm sensation again. I smiled, loving this feeling.

"Jamal! This way!" His brother yelled from our left, who was hiding in an alcove, covered by a rug hanging on a wire. We turned, joining Salim into the tiny space. Jamal pushed me inside, shoving me up against Salim.

Salim looked down at me, a wicked grin on his face. I felt my face get hot, and I looked down. I grabbed Jamal's hand, seeking comfort.

"Shh," he whispered, brushing his lips against my ear. "Don't make a sound."

I nodded, and moved closer to Salim, trying to give Jamal more room from the edge of the little indention. Salim rested his head on mine. I felt uneasy being so close to Salim. He didn't seem as innocent or kind as Jamal. My stomach churned as the seconds passed like hours. We stood motionless, waiting for the cop to pass us.

My heart pounded as we heard him stop, just outside our little alcove. "Damn kids," he said, slightly out of breath. We heard him turn around, and walk over to the entrance of the lawn. I stood motionless for several more minutes, making sure he was gone. Jamal took my hand in his, "It's alright. He's gone."

I pushed off of Salim, and followed Jamal out of the little fort. I looked around; making sure the guard was gone. Sighing, I turned to Jamal. "So what is it you have for me?"

I twirled around, adoring the yellow dress Jamal had grabbed. "I love it," I gushed, giving him the biggest hug I could muster. "It's so pretty. Thank you so much!"

Jamal shrugged like it was nothing. "It was just hanging there, and I thought you would like it, so…" He trailed off, staring at me.

I giggled and looked down. Looking into his eyes made me shiver. Not in a bad way, but it made me feel something that couldn't be described in a way that made sense. I moved my foot, making odd shapes in the dirt. I glanced up, and caught Jamal's warm brown eyes.

He flashed his smile at me, making my heart pound. I smiled back, lost in my little fantasy world of us being a family.

"Hey-come on! The sun's almost down," Salim said rather roughly. "Where are we going to sleep?"

The three of us looked around. We were still behind the tall brick houses, munching on thrown away food.

"What about the hiding place?" I offered. The brothers looked at me.

"It's so small, though," Salim commented, obviously not enjoying my idea.

"We could fit, though," Jamal stated. "We're small enough that only a bit of the last person would be showing." I looked at him and smiled. _Thank you,_ I mouthed. Jamal nodded. Salim sighed, giving up on his argument.

"Fine. Whatever." Salim turned and entered the nook. "I'm going to bed," He called from behind the rug.

"You were right. He does think of himself as a king," I told Jamal with a smile. Jamal laughed and put an arm around me.

"You what I think?"

"Hm," I questioned, unable to say more due to our intimate distance.

"I think Salim believes that he decides our fate."

I giggled. "Our destiny was written by the gods, not by a silly little boy," I told Jamal, and leaned into him.

Silence took over as we watched the light depart. The cricket's chirps filled the air around us, almost drawing us closer to each other. I yawned, and patted Jamal's leg. "I'm going to bed," I whispered, sleepiness draining my voice.

"I'll go with you," Jamal said just as softly. He took my hand and led me to the tiny space. "Ladies first," he said, allowing me entrance. I smiled at him and lay beside Salim. I patted the space beside me, and smiled up at Jamal. The youngest of the bunch smiled back and lowered himself to the ground. He nudged his head against mine. "Goodnight, Latika," He whispered, looking me in the eye.

I smiled at him, feeling that rush again. "Goodnight."


	3. New Home

I awoke the next morning to find Salim gone, and Jamal watching me. "Salim's gone to find breakfast," Jamal said, petting my hair. "You're really peaceful when you sleep, did you know that?" I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the last drops of sleep away from me. Sunlight filtered through between the walls of the houses and the rug, giving our little fort an eerie feel.

I sat up suddenly, remembering my dream. It was really rather peaceful. "What?" Jamal questioned, looking at me with his curious brown eyes. I shook my head.

"Just remembering my dream."

The little boy nodded. "What was it about?"

I felt heat rush to my face again, embarrassed to tell him. "You can tell me," he whispered, placing his hand on mine. I nodded, feeling the comfort his touch always gave me.

"Well, we were all older. You, Salim, and me; we all were much older. We traveled around the world, getting famous, and getting lots and lots of money. We all lived in a big, fancy house, and lived well. It was so normal, and we loved it. It was a lovely dream, really," I lied. My dream had really been about the two of us, living together, having a family. I shivered, a nasty habit I had whenever I lied.

"That does sound like the good life," Jamal commented. "The three of us, going off together on adventures. You and me, always together. I could buy you new dresses everyday. I could spoil you, and buy you anything you wanted. Would you like that?" Jamal's eyes lit up at his own fantasy. He wiggled his eyebrows at me, "Wouldn't you love it if I spoiled you?"

I giggled. "Yes I would. You would lose all your money, since you would spend it on me, though. Wouldn't you save some for yourself?" I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. "Wouldn't you want to spend some on yourself?"

Jamal stood. "If it was for you, my princess, I would spend all the money of the world on you! I would buy you every sari you loved, every dress you adored, every piece of jewelry you wanted! I would buy you everything you desired." He stuck out his hand for me to take. "Then we would get dressed up, and I would show you off to the world and say, 'this is Latika! She is the most beautiful girl in the world! Look at her beauty!' And all the men would be jealous, and envy us," he concluded his own story of us. "Would you like for that to happen, Latika?" Jamal placed his hand on mine, and pulled me closer. "We could make it happen," he breathed into my ear.

I held his hand tightly. "I would love for that to happen," I whispered into his tiny ear. Then, ever so gently, Jamal kissed my cheek. My cheeks burned, worse than ever before. I pulled away and looked into his deep brown eyes. Quickly, I kissed his cheek in return.

"Here. Eat some food," Salim ordered from the doorway. I turned, startled. How long had he been standing there?

The three of us ate in silence, not wanting to discuss the morning's events. I took tiny bites of my apples, attempting to savor it. I glanced over at Jamal, who had his eyes locked on me. He smiled a bit, almost unnoticeable. His brown eyes shimmered, even in the pale morning light. I smiled back at him, feeling the warmth spread all over my body. Salim coughed, breaking the spell between Jamal and me.

I looked over at the eldest. Salim stood, finished with his breakfast. "Come on, let's go find a real place to live." I looked up at Salim, not ready to go. "Stand up, Latika," He ordered, and grabbed my arm. "I said we are leaving," he pulled me up roughly, squeezing my arm tightly. I pulled my arm from his grasp. We stood there, glaring at each other, waiting for the other to break.

"Come on, let's go, Salim." Jamal said, tugging his brother's arm. "Let it go," he whispered.

Salim blinked, and nodded. "Come on, Latika. We are going to find a place to live and sleep and eat."

I nodded and followed behind the brothers. They talked fast, in low voices. Salim looked over his shoulder, and looked at me. I cocked my head to the side, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Suddenly, Salim raised his voice, "Jamal-don't. It's not worth it." Quickly, Salim lowered his voice again.

We wandered through Bombay, searching for a new home. Then we found it. A dumpsite. It was perfect for us. We could recycle almost everything there, and it was a short distance from the dumpsite to the market, so we could go and beg for food and money. This place was perfect for us.

Quickly, I ran and grabbed Jamal's hand. "Come on, let's go," I giggled, and pulled him along. Jamal laughed and ran with me.

"Come on, Salim! Don't be a sour puss," He laughed over his shoulder. Jamal squeezed my hand and helped me up the large pile of debris. I looked down and groaned.

"What," Jamal asked, panicked. I shook me head and pointed to my dress.

"I got something on it," I complained. Jamal laughed and swung an arm around me. "Oh, this is why we keep you, just for laughs."

I glared playfully at him and pushed him slightly. "Thanks, that means a lot to me," I said sarcastically.

"Hey, some help would be nice," Salim called from the side of the pile. I looked down and giggled. I nudged Jamal and pointed to Salim.

"He looks like monkey, no?" Jamal looked down and laughed. He grabbed my arm, trying not to fall from his laughter. I held his arm, laughing just as hard. Salim glared up at us, not finding it the least bit funny.

"Come on, help me get up!" He yelled.

Jamal laughed even harder. "All right, all right. I'll help you up," he said between fits of giggles. Jamal reached down, and grabbed his brother's hand. Grunting, he pulled Salim up. They sat there for a second, looking at the slum a few kilometers off.

"All right, Let's go find our house," Salim said, hoisting himself up from the piled debris. "Come on." Salim stood, his hand outstretched. I took it, and pulled myself up. Salim smiled at me, attempting to look innocent. I smiled back, sensing something beneath his child eyes.

The three of us walked around, searching for something to build a makeshift house with. Together, we found two sticks, a piece of string, tattered cloth, and a tire wheel. Salim built a little tent for us, while Jamal and I went to the market to get food.

Jamal and I walked the narrow alleyways of the farmer's market, hand in hand. "What should we get," I asked, leading him to a small booth. "Mmmm, can we get some mangos, or apples, or bananas," he replied softly, not wanting to be heard. I nodded, only enough for him to see. The stall had piles of apples, mangos, papayas, and oranges. Jamal talked to the farmer, distracting him. Quickly, I grabbed two apples and a mango, and began walking off. I headed over to the entrance of the market, not wanting to get stopped.

Jamal ran up, a smile on his face. "Can I have the mango?" I laughed at him. I shook my head, but handed him the mango. He smiled and hugged me tightly. "Thank you!" I laughed and continued walking towards the dumpsite. Jamal munched on the mango happily, not saying anything.

"I have a question," I said softly, glancing at Jamal. "Ask away, my dear," he giggled, placing his arm around my neck.

"Why is Salim like that? Why is he mean to me?"

Jamal was silent for a few minutes, thinking of how to answer me. Finally, he spoke softly, "Well, I think when we saw our mother die, something died within him. The kindness left the moment we saw her fall down." I gave him a one-armed hug.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I hugged him a bit tighter. "But, he's not that bad, right?" Jamal looked at me and kissed my cheek once more.

"This is why I keep you around, to be the sun in my world, and make everything seem brighter, even in the darkest days." He kissed my cheek once more, and took an apple from me. "Let me help you up," He whispered, and took the other apple as well.

That night we slept well, our stomachs almost full for the first time in days. I slept peacefully, dreaming of a world where Jamal and I lived together, spending our money on each other, and showing our love off to the world. Dreamland was so much better than reality.


	4. Maman's Arrival

A/N: Thanks for all the feedback! Thank you for all the comments, constructive criticism, and everything else! I hope you guys enjoy! And yes, I know the name for Maman's place is really stupid but it needed a name, so that's what we got!

* * *

We lived there for a few weeks, recycling whatever we found. Many other children lived there, too, surviving the same way we did. Salim led us through the city, guiding the kids to the different farmer's markets in the area. None of us dared to go to the same market two days in a row. The days slowly grew longer, hotter, harder. Farmers began remembering our faces, limiting our food sources. The sun pounded down, burning our skin. Arguments arose of stupid things, like whose turn it was to stay up and watch for police. The three of us stayed together, though. Something bound us together, keeping any of us from leaving the other two.

I sat up in our little tent, unable to fall asleep. Jamal slept to my right, totally out. Quietly, I crawled out of the opening. I squinted against the harsh sunlight, searching for Salim. The sun beat down, warming my already burned skin.

"Salim," I called, looking around. Finally, I spotted him a few meters away, picking through some papers and bags. The boy looked up, startled. He shook his head with a faint smile, and continued his search.

I walked over to him, and sat to his left. "Want some help," I asked, digging through the papers.

"Thanks," He said, shuffling through the mess in front of us. We worked silently, just wanting to make it through the day.

"Does today feel different to you," I questioned, looking at him through the corner of my eye. Ever since I had woken up that morning, something seemed different. The air was filled with a different energy; something was going to happen.

Salim shook his head. "Not really," He yawned, stretching his arms up.

"Do you want me to take over? You can go get some sleep," I said to him, not feeling the least bit tired. Salim shook his head and suppressed a second yawn. "Come, go to sleep," I said whilst tugging his arm. "You're sleepy. I can go through this. Whenever you wake up, you can come back."

"But, it's your turn to sleep," Salim argued.

I shook my head quickly. "I can't, though. So, just go. I don't mind." I smiled at him and waved over to the tent. "Go. It's fine."

Salim stood and looked back at me. "Are you sure?"

I gave him a slight push towards the tent. "Just go," I smiled, and returned to my work.

The sun beat down on my back, making me feel like I was on fire. I worked silently, letting my mind wander from topic to topic. I thought of my mother, how her hair would look on a day like this. It would have been a lovely, glossy black. Her bangs would have fallen from the bun she always wore. A smile would have been on her full pink lips. She would have worn a bubbly blue sari, perhaps, or a bright green one. I smiled slightly, remembering how she always seemed so beautiful, and striking when she had her hair up, and her favorite sari on. My smile broadened as I remembered how my mother always held a smile on her pink lips, no matter how difficult the day had been.

I stood, done with the all the papers around me. Grunting, I grabbed the massive white bag, full of papers and various bags we had found. I snapped my head to the right, hearing the low rumble of an engine. A yellow van pulled up to the dumpsite. Faded red letters adorned the sides, saying 'Maman's Home for Displaced Children'. A smile broke out on my lips. Maybe they were here to help; maybe they were here to take us to a family that could take care of us! I let go of the bag and yelled at the top of my lungs, "Jamal!"

As quickly as I could, I ran over to the tent. I watched the van, making sure it wasn't a trick. Two men emerged from the van. One of them carried a white sack, which looked to be like it was holding something heavy. The two men walked over to our tent. The one with the bag bent down, and put one hand inside our small, little house.

I ran faster, wanting to see what the man was up to. Breathing hard, I finally stopped behind the tent. I bent down, and peeked into the small hut. Jamal and Salim turned, smiles on their faces, and bottles in their hands. "Latika," Jamal smiled, and handed me the bottle. "Try this. It's good."

I looked at the bottle, then Jamal, and finally rested my eyes on the man. His smile was warm and comforting. "Hello, little girl. Take a sip. It will cool you off." The man's voice sent chills running through me. I looked at both Jamal and Salim, anxious about this man.

Salim nodded, "It's really good."

Slowly, I stretched my arm forward and took the glass bottle. It felt amazingly cold against my sun burnt hands. I looked once more at my other musketeers, still not trusting the man. The brothers nodded, smiling at me. Slowly, I put the glass bottle to my lips and tilted it upward. The brown liquid was sweet, and so cold! Instantly, I took another, long, deep swallow of the brown drink.

I stopped and handed the bottle back to Jamal. "Thank you," I smiled to him.

Jamal shook his head. "Thank him. He is the one who brought them to us." Jamal nodded his head to the man from the van.

He smiled from behind his sunglasses. "Hello." The man waved, then pointed to the van. "Do you want to live in a place where you can have those drinks all the time?"

The three of us nodded all at once, desiring more. He laughed, and whispered something to the man behind him. "If you would follow Punnoose, he will show you to the van, where we will take you to the home."

I stared at Punnoose, who had squatted to reach our level. He smiled, trying to look trustworthy. The man with sunglasses turned to face Punnoose, and stood. I nudged Jamal; liking the fact the men's eyes weren't studying our every move. "Do you trust him," I whispered into his ear. Jamal nodded,but didn't turn around. He kept his eyes locked on the big yellow van between the men's legs.

"Salim, do you trust them?"

The elder turned and nodded his head, flopping his dark hair around. "Come on, Latika, imagine what else he will give us if he gave us these drinks before he even took us to the home!"

I sighed and nodded my head. "All right. If the two of you trust him, I'll go."

The man with the sunglasses bent down again. "Are you ready to go?"

Salim nodded. "We're ready." He stood up and grabbed Jamal's arm, helping him up. I stood behind them, watching the man silently. The brothers left the tent, and began walking over to the van.

"Are you coming too, little girl?"

I stared at the mysterious man hidden behind his sunglasses. I nodded my head. "Yes."


	5. The Dream

The man held out his large, brown hand. "I'll walk with you," he smiled, still hiding behind his dark sunglasses.

I looked at his hand, not wanting to take it. "I can walk by myself, thanks," I said, and stormed through the tiny hut.

He followed behind, watching me closely. His steps came closer, louder. I stopped walking, waiting for him to reach me. "Yes, princess?" he asked, squatting beside me. I cringed; hating the little name he gave me.

"Do you have any more of those drinks," I asked softly, refusing to look at him. I stared at my bare feet. Dust covered them, making them look white. I felt his hand on my shoulder. It wasn't comforting like Jamal's. His was heavy, forced. Like he was pretending to care.

The man forced a laugh. "Of course I do, princess. Come with me." He stood and held out his hand once more. "I'll bring you to them."

I stood there for a minute before taking his hand cautiously. We walked towards the van in silence. I smiled when I saw Jamal waving from the large, semi-tinted windows. He held up a bottle, full of the yummy brown liquid, and the thumbs up sign with his free hand. I laughed, unable to stop it.

The man let me in the van first, and told me to wait at the front. He pulled out a bottle, and opened it for me. "Here you go, princess," He smiled, handing me the bottle.

"Can you not call me that," I questioned, looking at the bottle.

"Of course. What's your name, then, little girl?" He stared at me, and slowly took off his sunglasses. His eyes were a dark, dark brown. I gasped, startled.

"I'm Latika," I told him. I took a small sip from the bottle, trying not to look into his dark eyes.

He smiled at me, and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Latika. I'm Maman." I gave him my free hand, and nodded. "Now, go join your friends. I think they want to talk to you." Maman pointed to Jamal and Salim.

I smiled faintly at him, turned, and then hurriedly walked through the aisle of the van. Jamal patted the seat beside him, and smiled. "Can you believe our luck? Imagine, if he gives us all of this before we even get to the home, what would he give us once we're there!"

I forced a smile on my face. I wasn't going to be a downer on his mood. "Yeah! Can you imagine all the food he must have?" I laughed and took a drink from the bottle. Salim and Jamal blabbered on about food and games and clothes and more food. I canceled them out, trying to get the creepiness from Maman's eyes out of my mind.

Closing my eyes, I tried to remember my mother. I tried to think of her smile, her sari, and her hair, even her smell. I tried to think of anything of hers that would wash this eeriness from my mind.I looked at her, and stared into her big, chocolate brown eyes. Her eyes were just as soft as the last time I saw them. She smiled her lovely smile, the one I saw everyday. Her hair hung down, framing her face, unusual, but it looked lovely on her. Her sari was a bright yellow, making her skin glow. I knew it was my mother, but it didn't seem like it was. The details were too perfect, almost like it was a doll of my mother, that acted like my mother. She opened her mouth, and began talking to me. Her soft voice flowed through my head, telling me not to worry, that everything would work out in the end. I told her about how Maman's eyes scared me, and how much I missed her and how I felt that things wouldn't work out without her with was on my side, she told me. I sighed, and crawled onto her lap once more. I leaned into her, and felt same with her arms around me, telling me stories of princesses and love and fate. A smile found it's way to my lips again, as I remembered a time when everything was all right. A time when my mother was there with me.

"Is everybody ready," Punnoose yelled, snapping me back to reality. The bus was full of kids, all laughing and talking. The sun was beginning to set, giving the bus a campfire glow. Kids screamed back telling him to hurry up. Salim was bouncing around, talking to anyone who would listen. Jamal had fallen asleep, and was snoring softly.

I rubbed my eyes, finding most of the kids from the dumpsite were here. "Latika!" I turned, trying to find who had called for me.

Arvind stood in the aisle, swaying with the motion of the van. I smiled and gave him a hug. "How are you?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and sat behind me. I turned to face my friend. "Are you excited?" He asked, bouncing on his seat. "I am. I mean, when he was talking to me, he said that he had mounds of rice, mangos, and apples waiting for us! He said that he has enough food to feed all of us until we're 60! Can you believe that?" Arvind slowed his bouncing, trying to catch his breath. "I mean, we will never go hungry," He continued, smiling at me.

I smiled brightly. "That much food? Seriously? Goodness, we will eat so much that our tummies will hurt for days!" I giggled and ruffled his hair. "What kind of food do you hope he has waiting for us?"

The little boy stood and leaned over the seat, trying to be heard over all the screams and fits of laughter. "I hope he has everything! I want Kima Mutter, or Dalchini Palau." I licked my lips, thinking of my mother's Dalchini Palau. She had the best Dalchini Palau in the slum.

"Mmmm," I said into his ear, trying to be heard over all the noise. "That sounds so good. I hope he gives us naan and Baigan bhurta. Anything they have though should be good. I mean, if what you said he said was true, then they must have everything! Anything they cook must be good!"

Arvind giggled, and patted my hair. "He says he has warm water, and soap and beds for all of us! We won't have to sleep on the ground anymore! I wonder how good it will be to not sleep on the ground." He sighed, and sat back down, weariness setting in. Arvind rested his head against the back of my seat, and closed his eyes.

"So what were you dreaming about?" His voice floated from behind the seat. I peeked over the back of the chair. "What do you mean?"

Arvind looked at me, and shook his head. "When you were asleep, you looked so peaceful and happy. It was like the world was going for you. From the smile you had on your face, it looked like fate was finally going to go good for one of us," he said, waving his hand around at the kids. I smiled and looked down.

"I was just thinking of my mother," I confided in him. "She was telling me that everything was going to be all right and that destiny was on my side. I really don't know what to think. It sounded like her, it looked like her, but I'm not sure if it was her."

Arvind smiled. "Do you think one of the gods came and told you a piece of your future? That would be amazing. I wish that would happen to me. Sometimes I think that all of the gods are against me, and trying to make my life terrible." He sighed and rubbed my head once more. "But if the gods are smiling on you, I will be happy."

I smiled back at the small boy. "I think that the gods will smile on you. I want to be happy with somebody that's happy, too. Maybe once we get there, the gods will see how wonderful you really are, and tell you of your future." I rubbed his thick, black hair. "Besides, I don't really think the gods are smiling down at me. I think they are laughing, enjoying this misfortune."

Arvind smiled and rubbed my hand. "When you realize how much the gods are smiling down at you, you will tilt your head back and say, 'Arvind was right this whole time!' "

I laughed and playfully hit his shoulder. "Shut up."


End file.
